INTRODUCTION• Did you know that as an EU citizen you have the right to live, work and

study in another EU country? And did you know that every year thousands of people actually do this?

• These are some of your basic EU rights and through this booklet we want to make sure you know about them.

• But what about the practical aspects of moving to another EU country? What about your car, driving licence and social security? How can you manage your money?

• Just as importantly, this booklet also tells you about the many practical EU rights you have that make moving to another EU country as easy and hassle-free as possible.

• We focus on the EU rights you have when doing the following in another EU country:

• getting there, • living there, • working there, • studying there.

GETTING THERE• BASIC RIGHTS• As an EU citizen, you have the right to enter any EU country

without having to comply with special formalities. All you need is a valid passport or identity card.

• Your identification can be checked for validity, but you cannot be asked questions about the purposes and duration of your trip.

• Your right to travel may be restricted only on grounds of public policy, public security or public health.

• YOUR FAMILY• Members of your family, whatever their nationality, may go with you. Non-

EU citizens may need an entry visa, depending on their nationality.• AIR TRAVEL• If you are denied boarding, your flight was cancelled, you experienced long

delays or your baggage was lost, you may be entitled to compensation under EU law and you can complain to the relevant enforcement body.

• HEALTHCARE• When travelling within the EU, if you suddenly fall ill or have an accident in

another EU country, you (and your family) are entitled to immediate healthcare there. For this, you need the European health insurance card (or the relevant ‘E111’ form), which you should obtain from your home country before departure. This applies only to short periods abroad.

LIVING THERE• BASIC RIGHTS• As an EU citizen you are entitled to stay and settle in any EU country.• YOUR FAMILY This fundamental right extends to members of your family. If they are not EU

nationals, the country concerned may require an entry visa. RIGHT TO SETTLE• For periods shorter than three months: all you need is a valid identity card or

passport.• For periods longer than three months: you have the right to settle in another EU

country if:• you are a worker or self-employed in the host EU country, or • you are enrolled at a private or public establishment for the principal purpose of

following a course of study, including vocational training, or • you have sufficient resources for you and your family members and you have

comprehensive sickness insurance cover in the host EU country.• CAR• If you have a new car, no checks can be imposed in the new country. If you have a

used car, it may have to undergo a roadworthiness test.• In general you have to register your car under the normal number plates of the new

country, as well as pay vehicle registration and car tax in that country.• You can use your car on a temporary basis in any other EU country without paying

taxes for six months out of any 12 months. This does not apply to ‘frontier workers’ — people who work every day in a neighbouring country.

DRIVING LICENCEYou can drive in the new EU country on the licence from your home country. However,the EU country will apply its own rules as regards the period of licence validity, medical checks and tax rules.YOUR BELONGINGSThey can be moved without any restrictions and without paying customs duties or taxes.TAXESIn order to prevent double taxation, you need to establish whether you are ‘resident for tax purposes’ in the new country — which essentially means that you declare all your income there.You should do this by contacting the tax authorities in your home country and the new country. Check also whether any formalities have to be completed before your departure.VOTING AND STANDING FOR ELECTIONYou can vote and stand as a candidate in the new country under the same conditions as nationals of that country in:municipal (local) elections: note that you do not automatically lose your vote in your home country if you vote in the new country;European elections: note that you must register on the electoral role. You will automatically lose your vote in your home country if you vote in the new country.

WORKING THERE

• BASIC RIGHTS• You have the right to work and retire in whichever EU

country you want.• You should receive the same treatment as any

national of this country and cannot be asked to meet additional requirements.

• You can apply for any job advertised anywhere in the EU (apart from certain public service posts).

• FAMILY• Members of your family, whatever their nationality, have the

right to accompany you or to join you in your country of employment. Family members are entitled to have access to the general and vocational education available in your new country.

• JOBSEEKING• If you are unemployed, you have the right to live in an EU country for a

‘reasonable period’ of time to look for a job — mostly six months (but check this for the particular country). This can be extended.

• You may also continue, for up to three months, to draw any unemployment benefit you may have been receiving, provided you meet certain conditions. You are advised to contact your social security institution before leaving your home country for further information and advice on formalities to go through and forms to collect.

• RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS• The EU single market gives you the freedom to pursue an occupation, on a

self-employed or employed basis, in an EU country other than the one in which you acquired your professional qualifications. There is a system in place at EU level that facilitates the recognition of these qualifications by different EU countries.

• See also ‘Academic recognition of diplomas’ on p. ■.• For further information, please consult the relevant factsheets on the Your

Europe website.

• SOCIAL SECURITY• EU rules ensure that you are affiliated to a single social protection scheme

and that you lose none of your rights (particularly with regard to retirement).• In principle, you are insured in the country you work in. You, and in

certain circumstances, your family, are entitled to the same social security and welfare benefits as nationals of the host country. These rights cover sickness and maternity benefits (healthcare and financial benefits), disability, old-age and widow’s/widower’s benefits, benefits payable for accidents at work, occupational illness, death and unemployment, as well as family allowances. You must also pay the same contributions as nationals of the host country.

• However, there are special rules for cross-border workers and workers on temporary postings.

• CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT• You are subject to the same working conditions as nationals of the country

you are working in as regards pay, dismissal and reintegration, as well as measures to protect health and safety at the workplace.

• TRADE UNION RIGHTS• You have the right to join the trade union of your choice and to exercise your

union rights on the same conditions as host-country employees.• SELF-EMPLOYED• You have the right to work as a self-employed person in any EU country,

either permanently or temporarily.• RETIRED, GIVEN UP WORK• If you have worked in another EU country, you are entitled to retire there

or stay there if you are permanently incapable of work because of an accident sustained during your working life, provided you fulfil certain conditions.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITES• MEN AND WOMEN• Whether you are a man or a woman, you should be treated equally and have the

same rights and opportunities in the workplace, in any EU country. EU law gives you the right to:

• equal pay for equal work; • equal pay for work of equal value; • equal treatment in the workplace (access to employment, vocational training,

promotion, working conditions); • equal treatment in social security schemes (statutory and occupational).

• PREGNANCY• In all EU countries, women have the right to the following before and after pregnancy:• an appropriate level of health and safety in the workplace; • no obligation to perform nightwork during your pregnancy; • a continuous period of maternity leave of at least 14 weeks, which must include the

two weeks before and/or after the birth; • time off for antenatal examinations (if they can be carried out only during work

hours); • protection from being dismissed because of pregnancy.• PARENTS• In all EU countries, parents have the right to:• parental leave of at least three months on the grounds of birth or adoption of a child; • time off for urgent family reasons (sickness, accidents).

STUDYING THERE• BASIC RIGHTS• As an EU citizen you have the right to study in another European

country.• The university or college in the EU country where you wish to

study must accept you on the same conditions as nationals, and cannot require you to pay higher course fees.

• STUDY PERIODS ABROAD• Your university of origin must recognise any Socrates/Erasmus study

periods as an integral part of your studies.• SOCIAL SECURITY• You must be covered under a healthcare scheme, either personally or as a

family member, in the home country or the country where you are studying, depending on the conditions set under national law. EU rules give you some social security protection, particularly as regards healthcare, on certain conditions. Before you leave, check with your health insurance institution to see whether you meet these conditions.